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I would have sworn that I said in a previous post that I planted crimson clover last year, it bloomed this Spring, and I never saw a bee in it. I must be getting senile at an early stage, lol. Of course, that's just my experience here in Texas, and maybe the bees in your area will work it.

I've heard the same thing, Hoosierhiver. There is a difference, though, between red clover and crimson clover. The red clovers have a pink flower, and the crimson clover has a crimson red flower that almost looks like a small strawberry sitting on top of the plant during bloom.

txbeeguy,
Many thanks for the good advice. I already know that honey bees thrive on crimson clover (but not red clover). An organic farm where I keep 2 hives plants crimson clover as a ground cover, green manure (equal to 100 lbs nitrogen per acre). It blooms in mid April through late May and then drys up and becomes good biomass and mulch for the garden (the farmer removes just enough of it to put in his vegetable plants). The bees work it like crazy and it gives the hives a big boost. I wouldn't recommend it for a roadside planting, but if you have a garden that needs some soil conditioning, then crimson clover is a good choice. Seeds cost about 80 cents/lb and the application rate is 8 lbs per acre. My plan for next year is to follow the crimson clover with Huban (the annual variety of white sweet clover). All of this applies to central NC - I don't know about other places.

I vote for Chickory. You might check with your state beekeeping assoc. Ours (NCSBA) has a page on their website specifically called "What's Blooming?" Local info would be your best bet including your state ag ext office, they're a great help.

My recommendation for what is worth is to plant white dutch clover/birdsfoot treefoil, and some local late blooming wildflowers. The clover will bloom first, and grow to a heigth of about 18-24 inches, then the birdsfoot treefoil will bloom. Then the wildflowers will give your bees a boost prior to going into winter. With added benefit that they will be able to coexist together. Have Fun

Anyone try planting bee trees, such as tulip poplar, basswood or black locus? I have several acres that I don't want to keep mowing and have considered putting it under trees that would do the honey output good. Experiences, anyone?

johndl,
Our main honey flow in the Raleigh, NC area is Tulip Poplar. It makes VERY good honey and lots of it (up to a teaspoon of nectar per blossom). The trees take a long time to become mature enough to bloom and the trees grow to huge sizes.

Is anyone familiar with "ladino clover"? Planted about 8 lbs of it around a 1/2 acre pond with orchard grass last August. Is it just another variation of the white clover? How does it do as a necter source?
I have a large oregano cluster (perinial) in my herb garden that the bees just go crazy for, it has tiny white flowers that bloom spring, summer, and early fall. Is this a reliable source of necter or pollen?
I had purchased a few button bush sapplings at our Indianapolis "bee school" auction and planted them last march around some low lying areas (wet). This button bush hasn't flowered this year but has grown to 2.5' . I was wondering if this actually was a buttonbush because the leaves look very similar to the Hibiscus (rose of sharon) trees I received from a freind and planted in early june.